Half to james a



"(N0 Model.)

G. M. SPENGE.

FURNITURE BRAGE.

No. 591,938. Patented Oct. 19,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. SPENOE, or RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, Ass1GNoRoF ONE- HALF TO JAMES A. SEXTON, OF SAME PLAoE.

FURNlTURE-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,938, dated October 19, 1897.

Application filed July 14, 1897. Serial No. 644,539. (1x 0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. SPENCE, of Raleigh, county of Wake, and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Furniture-Braces; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in braces designed particularly for application to bedsteads and similar rectangular or cornered structures and is designed to draw the parts together and prevent distortion by reason of lateral strain.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bedstead with the springs, mattress, &c., removed to show the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the adjusting device on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the same with the adjusting-screw in elevation.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

In the adaptation of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings the posts at the head and foot of the bedstead (lettered A) are each provided on their inner sides with hooks or like devices, (lettered 13,) to which the ends of brace rods or wires or links 0 may be attached, such wires being extended diagonally inwardly to the central adjusting device, in which the essential features of novelty reside. This adjusting device, as shown, is formed of two plates, preferably substantially flat, adapted to slide one upon the other, each having, at two of its corners or ends D, apertures or other means for the attachment of the brace rods or wires 0. At the end of the under plate are formed two upwardly-extendin g projections b 6, provided with journals for a longitudinal screw E, preferably having at one end a finger-piece e, by means of which it may be turned in its jour nals. The journals prevent the longitudinal movement of the screw and the cooperating plate F is provided with similarly-arranged upwardly-extending. projections f, threaded for the passage of the screw and adapting said top plate for longitudinal adj ustment by turning the screw, as will be readily understood.

The threaded apertures and journals are preferably arranged in line longitudinally with the bedstead, and in order to adapt the device for ready separation and assembling the projection d on the underlying plate is provided with an open bearing in which the screw is j ournaled, and the screw itself is provided with a portion H of reduced diameter with which said bearing cooperates. The upper edge of the projection dis turned down in the form of a horizontal flange beneath which the portion of the screw adjacent to the reduced portion H projects when the parts are assembled as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby the screw is held in its bearing, and at the same time, when the screw is drawn back, the reduced portion thereof will permit of the ready separation of the two parts. Inasmuch as when the parts are under tension the screw cannot be drawn back in its bearing, there is no liability of the parts becoming separated in use.

In order to prevent the bulging outwardly of the side rails of the bedstead, I preferably provide said side rails, at approximately the center, with hooks or other similar devices K, to which the ends of transverse brace rods, wires, or links L may be attached, the inner ends of said brace rods or wires being attached to one of the plates of the adjusting device, preferably at a central point, where by there is little or no tendency to draw'the side rails inward, although, when the device is put under strain, there is a sufficient movement of the inner ends of the transverse brace rods or wires to draw them taut.

In the preferred construction the adjusting device itself is preferably struck up from sheet 1netalsheet-steel, for instance-whereby-its production is greatly cheapened and a sufficient strength to withstand all strain to which it may be subjected is secured, and in order to still further strengthen the upwardlyextending projections, the sides of said projections are preferably turned inwardly, as shown at M, to form brackets for bracing the projections against any tendency to spring inwardly when the device is under strain.

The device it will be seen is exceedingly simple, cheap, and easily applied to the article of furniture and when desired may be quickly and easily-taken apart for cleaning or for shipment or storage, as the case maybe.

Obviously, instead of rods or wires for the bracing device connecting the adjusting device and bedstead, straps, cords, or links may be substituted without departing from the spirit of my present invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a furniture-brace, the combination with cooperating plates, sliding one upon the other, of a screw journaled in one of said plates and held against longitudinal movement therein, threaded projections upon the cooperating plate through which said screw passes, and brace rods or links for connecting said plates and opposite corners of the article of furniture; substantially as described.

2. In a brace for furniture, the combina tion with the cooperating plates, sliding one upon the other and having brace rods or links connected to opposite corners thereof, of threaded projections on one of said plates, a screw passing through said threaded projections, a corresponding projection on the cooperating plate and an open bearing therein, for holding the screw against longitudinal movement whereby the screw may be released from the last-mentioned plate and the parts separated; substantially as described.

or rods connected with said plates for joining said plates and opposite ends of the articles of furniture; substantially as described.

4. The combination with a bedstead, having corner-posts and side rails as described, of links extending inwardly from said corner- .posts and from said side rails at intermediate points, cooperating plates movable with respect to each other, to which the inner ends of said links are connected and a longitudinal screw journaled in one of said plates and 00- operating with threaded apertures in 'the other end of said plates'for adjusting the plates longitudinally with respect to each other, and putting the links under tension, whereby the side rails are prevented from bending when the corner-posts are drawn inward; substantially as described.

GEORGE M. SPENCE.

Witnesses:

J. G. L. HARRIS, H. II. ROBERTS. 

